No country can order us…Why did Pakistan tell America – will not bow down

Pakistan has rejected the US suggestion to investigate anomalies in the February 8 general elections and said it will not bow to external orders. Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, in her weekly press address, clearly said that no country can give instructions to Pakistan, an independent and sovereign nation. Dawn News quoted Baloch as saying in response to comments made by his American counterpart regarding allegations of malpractice in the controversy-ridden general elections that we believe in our sovereign right to take decisions regarding the internal affairs of Pakistan.

Earlier this week, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said any claims of interference or fraud should be investigated thoroughly and transparently in accordance with Pakistan’s laws and procedures. On another occasion, Miller said that with respect to investigations into reported irregularities, we would like to see those investigations move forward and be concluded as quickly as possible. These comments were particularly motivated by allegations of election results being tampered with and rigged by candidates supported by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

The results were declared by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) after unprecedented delays. The ECP and the caretaker government have strongly denied the allegations, and urged the political parties to pursue legal remedies for their grievances through the courts and other appropriate channels. Miller is not the only US official to express concern over the elections. Citing strong evidence of election rigging in Pakistan, a group of influential lawmakers, including Muslim legislators belonging to the ruling Democratic Party, have urged US President Joe Biden to withhold recognition of the new government in Islamabad pending a transparent and credible investigation.